Analysis of pulmonary mechanics in an experimental model of sepsis

OBJETIVO: Verificar se há alterações na mecânica pulmonar de camundongos com sepse. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados 40 camundongos Balb/c divididos em dois grupos: sobrevida (n = 21) e mecânica respiratória (n = 19). O grupo sobrevida foi dividido em três subgrupos: controle (n = 7), subletal (n = 7) e letal (n = 7). O grupo mecânica respiratória também foi dividido em três subgrupos: controle (n = 5), subletal (n = 7) e letal (n = 7). A sepse foi induzida pelo método cecal ligation and puncture, usando-se um estímulo subletal e outro letal. A mecânica pulmonar foi medida oito horas após a intervenção, utilizando-se o método da oclusão ao final da inspiração. Dentro do grupo mecânica pulmonar foram estudadas as seguintes variáveis: variação total de pressão, pressão resistiva, pressão viscoelástica, elastância dinâmica e elastância estática. Os dados foram analisados por meio do teste estatístico ANOVA One-Way. RESULTADOS: Os dados do grupo sobrevida determinaram a eficácia do modelo utilizado. Não houve diferença estatística entre os subgrupos da mecânica pulmonar quando analisadas as elastâncias dinâmica e estática, bem como não houve diferença estatística entre os subgrupos da mecânica pulmonar quando analisadas a variação total de pressão, pressão resistiva e pressão viscoelástica. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve lesão estrutural no pulmão, bem como não houve alteração nos componentes viscoso e viscoelástico do pulmão quando essas variáveis foram estudadas oito horas após a intervenção pelo método cecal ligation and puncture.OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pulmonary mechanics are altered in mice with sepsis. METHODS: A total of 40 Balb/c mice were divided into two groups: survival (n = 21) and pulmonary mechanics (n = 19). The survival group was divided into three subgroups: control (n = 7), sublethal (n = 7) and lethal (n = 7). The pulmonary mechanics group was also divided into three subgroups: control (n = 5), sublethal (n = 7) and lethal (n = 7). Sepsis was induced through cecal ligation and puncture, the latter varying in degree (sublethal or lethal). At eight hours after the intervention, pulmonary mechanics were measured through end-inflation occlusion. In the pulmonary mechanics group, the following variables were studied: total pressure, resistance, viscoelasticity, dynamic compliance and static compliance. The data obtained were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: The data for the survival group indicate the efficacy of the model employed. There were no statistically significant differences among the pulmonary mechanics subgroups in terms of dynamic compliance, static compliance, total pressure, resistance or viscoelasticity. CONCLUSION: At eight hours after cecal ligation and puncture, there were no changes in the lung parenchyma, nor were any alterations observed in the viscous and viscoelastic components of the lung

Diretriz da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia sobre Diagnóstico e Tratamento de Pacientes com Cardiomiopatia da Doença de Chagas

This guideline aimed to update the concepts and formulate the standards of conduct and scientific evidence that support them, regarding the diagnosis and treatment of the Cardiomyopathy of Chagas disease, with special emphasis on the rationality base that supported it.  Chagas disease in the 21st century maintains an epidemiological pattern of endemicity in 21 Latin American countries. Researchers and managers from endemic and non-endemic countries point to the need to adopt comprehensive public health policies to effectively control the interhuman transmission of T. cruzi infection, and to obtain an optimized level of care for already infected individuals, focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic opportunistic opportunities.   Pathogenic and pathophysiological mechanisms of the Cardiomyopathy of Chagas disease were revisited after in-depth updating and the notion that necrosis and fibrosis are stimulated by tissue parasitic persistence and adverse immune reaction, as fundamental mechanisms, assisted by autonomic and microvascular disorders, was well established. Some of them have recently formed potential targets of therapies.  The natural history of the acute and chronic phases was reviewed, with enhancement for oral transmission, indeterminate form and chronic syndromes. Recent meta-analyses of observational studies have estimated the risk of evolution from acute and indeterminate forms and mortality after chronic cardiomyopathy. Therapeutic approaches applicable to individuals with Indeterminate form of Chagas disease were specifically addressed. All methods to detect structural and/or functional alterations with various cardiac imaging techniques were also reviewed, with recommendations for use in various clinical scenarios. Mortality risk stratification based on the Rassi score, with recent studies of its application, was complemented by methods that detect myocardial fibrosis.  The current methodology for etiological diagnosis and the consequent implications of trypanonomic treatment deserved a comprehensive and in-depth approach. Also the treatment of patients at risk or with heart failure, arrhythmias and thromboembolic events, based on pharmacological and complementary resources, received special attention. Additional chapters supported the conducts applicable to several special contexts, including t. cruzi/HIV co-infection, risk during surgeries, in pregnant women, in the reactivation of infection after heart transplantation, and others.     Finally, two chapters of great social significance, addressing the structuring of specialized services to care for individuals with the Cardiomyopathy of Chagas disease, and reviewing the concepts of severe heart disease and its medical-labor implications completed this guideline.Esta diretriz teve como objetivo principal atualizar os conceitos e formular as normas de conduta e evidências científicas que as suportam, quanto ao diagnóstico e tratamento da CDC, com especial ênfase na base de racionalidade que a embasou. A DC no século XXI mantém padrão epidemiológico de endemicidade em 21 países da América Latina. Investigadores e gestores de países endêmicos e não endêmicos indigitam a necessidade de se adotarem políticas abrangentes, de saúde pública, para controle eficaz da transmissão inter-humanos da infecção pelo T. cruzi, e obter-se nível otimizado de atendimento aos indivíduos já infectados, com foco em oportunização diagnóstica e terapêutica. Mecanismos patogênicos e fisiopatológicos da CDC foram revisitados após atualização aprofundada e ficou bem consolidada a noção de que necrose e fibrose sejam estimuladas pela persistência parasitária tissular e reação imune adversa, como mecanismos fundamentais, coadjuvados por distúrbios autonômicos e microvasculares. Alguns deles recentemente constituíram alvos potenciais de terapêuticas. A história natural das fases aguda e crônica foi revista, com realce para a transmissão oral, a forma indeterminada e as síndromes crônicas. Metanálises recentes de estudos observacionais estimaram o risco de evolução a partir das formas aguda e indeterminada e de mortalidade após instalação da cardiomiopatia crônica. Condutas terapêuticas aplicáveis aos indivíduos com a FIDC foram abordadas especificamente. Todos os métodos para detectar alterações estruturais e/ou funcionais com variadas técnicas de imageamento cardíaco também foram revisados, com recomendações de uso nos vários cenários clínicos. Estratificação de risco de mortalidade fundamentada no escore de Rassi, com estudos recentes de sua aplicação, foi complementada por métodos que detectam fibrose miocárdica. A metodologia atual para diagnóstico etiológico e as consequentes implicações do tratamento tripanossomicida mereceram enfoque abrangente e aprofundado. Também o tratamento de pacientes em risco ou com insuficiência cardíaca, arritmias e eventos tromboembólicos, baseado em recursos farmacológicos e complementares, recebeu especial atenção. Capítulos suplementares subsidiaram as condutas aplicáveis a diversos contextos especiais, entre eles o da co-infecção por T. cruzi/HIV, risco durante cirurgias, em grávidas, na reativação da infecção após transplante cardíacos, e outros.    Por fim, dois capítulos de grande significado social, abordando a estruturação de serviços especializados para atendimento aos indivíduos com a CDC, e revisando os conceitos de cardiopatia grave e suas implicações médico-trabalhistas completaram esta diretriz.&nbsp

Ano IX, número 19

Espaço e Economia: Revista Brasileira de Geografia Econômica, além dos artigos em fluxo contínuo, inclui nesta edição o Dossiê Oeste Metropolitano do Rio de Janeiro, organizado pelos professores Marcio Rufino Silva, Denise de Alcantara, Leandro Dias de Oliveira e André Santos da Rocha (PPGGEO e PPGDT-UFRRJ)

Crescimento e produtividade do sorgo forrageiro BR 601 sob adubação verde Growth and yield of forage sorghum cv. BR 601 under green manure

O efeito da adubação verde sobre o crescimento e a produtividade do sorgo forrageiro BR 601, foi estudado em experimento desenvolvido na UFERSA, em Mossoró, RN, no qual o delineamento utilizado foi em blocos casualizados completos, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas no tempo com três repetições. Testaram-se sete espécies de leguminosas, Mucuna aterrima, Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Dolichos lab-lab, Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria spectabilis e Vigna unguiculata, uma mistura das leguminosas mais milho, sorgo e girassol, e a vegetação espontânea, como testemunha. Determinaram-se, para cada tratamento, a quantidade de massa verde, massa seca e teores de N, P, K, Na, Ca e Mg da parte aérea, a partir dos quais foi calculada a quantidade de nutrientes acumulada por hectare. As quantidades de matéria fresca e seca da parte aérea, altura de plantas e número de folhas do sorgo semeado após a incorporação dos adubos verdes, foram avaliadas aos 20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 dias após o plantio. A Mucuna aterrima mostrou-se a melhor opção como adubo verde em virtude de proporcionar os maiores valores das características avaliadas ao final do ciclo do sorgo podendo-se, também, recomendar a Crotalaria juncea e o Dolichos lab-lab, o qual apresentou a maior massa seca e quantidade de nutrientes na parte aérea.<br>The effect of green manure on growth and yield of forage sorghum BR 601 was studied in a trial carried out at the UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks in a scheme of split plots in time, with three replications. Treatments tested were seven legume species, Mucuna aterrima, Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Dolichos lab-lab, Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria spectabilis, and Vigna unguiculata, a mixture of the legumes plus corn, sorghum and sunflower, and spontaneous vegetation as a control. For each treatment the amount of fresh mass, dry mass and contents of N, P, K, Na, Ca and Mg in shoots were determined, from which the amount of nutrients accumulated per hectare was calculated. Fresh mass of shoot, dry mass of shoot, plant height and number of leaves of sorghum, sowed after incorporation of green manures, were evaluated at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 days after seeding. Mucuna aterrima was the best option as a green manure because of its better performance in all characteristics evaluated at the end of sorghum cycle. Also recommended are Crotalaria juncea, and Dolichos lab-lab which had the higher dry mass and amount of nutrients in shoots

AMAZONIA CAMTRAP: A data set of mammal, bird, and reptile species recorded with camera traps in the Amazon forest

The Amazon forest has the highest biodiversity on Earth. However, information on Amazonian vertebrate diversity is still deficient and scattered across the published, peer-reviewed, and gray literature and in unpublished raw data. Camera traps are an effective non-invasive method of surveying vertebrates, applicable to different scales of time and space. In this study, we organized and standardized camera trap records from different Amazon regions to compile the most extensive data set of inventories of mammal, bird, and reptile species ever assembled for the area. The complete data set comprises 154,123 records of 317 species (185 birds, 119 mammals, and 13 reptiles) gathered from surveys from the Amazonian portion of eight countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). The most frequently recorded species per taxa were: mammals: Cuniculus paca (11,907 records); birds: Pauxi tuberosa (3713 records); and reptiles: Tupinambis teguixin (716 records). The information detailed in this data paper opens up opportunities for new ecological studies at different spatial and temporal scales, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and other human-mediated defaunation processes in one of the most important and threatened tropical environments in the world. The data set is not copyright restricted; please cite this data paper when using its data in publications and we also request that researchers and educators inform us of how they are using these data

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved